Chapter 31

For a brief moment, Wen Tang thought he knew everything. But remembering how Gong Yue had distanced himself from her during the filming and the anger in his eyes when leaving the set, Wen Tang quickly dismissed that thought.

He didn’t know.

In any case, there was no need to continue.

She attempted to delete him from her WeChat list, but the action seemed difficult.

Her hand hovered in the air, unable to click the button.

In matters of emotion, Wen Tang had never hesitated like this before.

Even though it was a short period, and they had never truly been in a relationship, just chatting online, it was more addictive than any previous romance.

Perhaps it was because, with a layer of anonymity, she could express her thoughts and emotions without reservation, laugh freely, and often act coquettishly.

In her relationships, she always held all the power. Her younger boyfriends would frequently indulge her.

It was an intriguing experience.

*

In the end, she only removed the pin.

It was just past nine in the evening.

Sleep was impossible; her mind was too alert. At this time, she used to be busy with various shoots and programs. Even if not, she was usually on her way somewhere.

Rest was impossible. it was never an option.

A top actress never had downtime.

Not in the mood to follow up on today’s events, which were nothing more than various online trolls creating a scandal of varying scales, she threw her phone back on the sofa and went to the balcony. The moon was a crescent, and the stars were scattered. Wen Tang opened the window, and a gust of cold air greeted her. The night wind lifted her half-dried hair, and as she looked up at the night sky, the view was clearer than from her villa, as if she could reach out and pluck the moon and stars.

Wen Tang did indeed reach out towards the night sky.

She was the person involved, so she couldn’t know how enchanting her attempt to grasp the stars looked from another’s perspective.

Zhou Jingyu, returning from the restaurant, sent Wen Tang another message, but she didn’t reply.

After handling some matters by phone at home and waiting a while to ensure he had been completely forgotten by the usually attentive someone, he wondered if she was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t spare a moment to respond.

As the messages went unanswered, Zhou Jingyu walked out onto his balcony, and there he saw Wen Tang on the opposite balcony, attempting to grasp the stars.

She wore a white nightgown with her hair loose. The strong wind of the night caused her gown and hair to flutter. Her skin glowed white in the moonlight, and from Zhou Jingyu’s perspective, it seemed as though she might actually reach out and pluck a star.

Zhou Jingyu was momentarily stunned by the sight.

Wen Tang, with years of experience dealing with relentless paparazzi, was highly sensitive to external attention and cameras. It didn’t take long for her to notice someone watching her.

She turned her head and saw her neighbor standing on his balcony, not knowing how long he had been there.

Wen Tang: “…!”

Not again.

Why did he keep appearing out of nowhere?

Wen Tang certainly didn’t flatter herself into thinking her neighbor was looking at her because he was captivated by her beauty. She had repeatedly encountered setbacks with him.

Given her current mood and their unresolved past grievances, Wen Tang turned her head again, pretending not to see Zhou Jingyu.

She continued standing in front of the window, letting the night wind blow.

Time passed slowly.

Eventually, a voice from the next balcony spoke up.

“Miss Wen,” Zhou Jingyu said suddenly, “The wind is strong, you might catch a cold standing out here.”

His voice was restrained, as usual, calm and steady.

Hearing his voice, Wen Tang turned her head to look at him.

She thought, Why should I care what you think?

However, she forced a polite smile and replied, “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Zhou.”

Then she turned away, returning her attention to the night sky.

It was as if she regarded Zhou Jingyu’s words as the wind passing by her ears.

Zhou Jingyu’s brow furrowed.

If she chose to ignore his advice and continue standing out there, he could only keep her company from afar. He would stay as long as she needed.

When Wen Tang finally decided she had enough and turned back to her living room, she found Zhou Jingyu still standing there.

Wen Tang was momentarily puzzled by his behavior.

Wen Tang: “…?”

She tilted her head slightly, squinting at him.

Her situation had become quite public, and she was certain Zhou Jingyu knew about it by now.

His actions today were highly unusual. From her limited understanding of her neighbor, he was not the type to show concern for others, and their relationship hadn’t reached the point of mutual care.

Since they weren’t at the stage of mutual concern, did that mean he was just watching her misfortune?

Thinking this, Wen Tang’s gaze towards Zhou Jingyu turned sharp and hostile.

Zhou Jingyu had no idea about Wen Tang’s sudden shift in mood. He only felt that her emotions were unpredictable and that he often unintentionally upset her.

Was it that women were so difficult to understand, or was it just her?

Given the unfortunate events she had faced today, it was understandable for her to be in a bad mood. Zhou Jingyu didn’t mind her seemingly hostile attitude; his tone and demeanor conveyed genuine concern: “Are you okay?”

He indeed knew about what happened today!

Wen Tang’s anger surged, but she quickly suppressed it. Folding her arms defensively, she replied coldly, “How do you think I am?”

Her attitude was distant and unwelcoming.

Zhou Jingyu calmly observed her, now resembling a cat he once had, all ruffled up.

He pondered and replied, “Given that you’re still able to enjoy the night view, you seem to be doing alright?”

Wen Tang: “……”

His reasoning left her momentarily speechless.

She was so angry that she started to laugh.

“Ha.”

He was indeed her nemesis.

Since she couldn’t make him disappear, she decided it was best to ignore him.

Wen Tang turned to leave.

“Miss Wen.”

Zhou Jingyu called out to her from across the balcony.

Wen Tang turned her head, her expression cold and unfriendly.

Zhou Jingyu asked, “Have you had dinner today?”

Why was everyone suddenly so concerned about whether she had eaten?

Did they fear she might starve if she missed a meal?

Wen Tang raised an eyebrow, challenging him: “What if I haven’t eaten? Are you going to treat me?”

She wasn’t actually serious about wanting him to cook for her.

Zhou Jingyu hesitated, obviously caught off guard by her challenge.

Wen Tang felt a surge of satisfaction, her frustration from the entire day finding relief in Zhou Jingyu’s flustered expression.

She smiled broadly, enjoying the moment.

Unbeknownst to her, Zhou Jingyu’s hesitation was simply him assessing the truth behind her words.

He knew her words weren’t entirely genuine, but he chose to act as if they were.

As Wen Tang smiled, Zhou Jingyu also smiled and replied earnestly, “If Miss Wen is willing, of course, I can.”

Wen Tang’s smile immediately froze.

She suspected Zhou Jingyu was intentionally trying to make things difficult for her.

Wen Tang refused to admit defeat. She raised her chin and set what she thought was a very demanding condition: “You must cook yourself to show sincerity.”

How about that?

You can’t cook, can you?

Wen Tang didn’t know Zhou Jingyu well enough to realize that cooking was a trivial matter for him.

Without much thought, Zhou Jingyu nodded and said, “Alright.”

Wen Tang: “……”

He really agreed?

Did he even understand what he was agreeing to?

Was he out of his mind today?

She hadn’t intended for him to cook dinner for her!

Regardless of whether Wen Tang had genuinely wanted it or not, she found herself in the situation she had initially tried to avoid.

Her neighbor immediately asked her what she wanted to eat and took her order.

In a defiant spirit, Wen Tang named several dishes. As she awaited the delivery, she realized how absurd this situation was.

At night, she was going to her neighbor’s house to have dinner that he personally cooked for her?

Why was he suddenly being so attentive?

Was there something sinister in the food?

Was it too late to refuse now?

Wen Tang was panicking.

Back in her living room, she was horrified by the absurdity of the situation and wondered if hiding at home could make it go away.

The answer was obviously… no.

Her neighbor was a man of his word. Ten minutes later, he knocked on her door.

When Wen Tang opened the door, she saw him holding a sealed bag. Although she couldn’t see inside, she guessed it contained food.

Before she could comment on the speed of the delivery, Wen Tang found herself feeling uncharacteristically meek as she looked at Zhou Jingyu standing straight at the door.

“Um…” Wasn’t it inappropriate for a man and woman alone together at this hour?

Wen Tang wanted to say.

However, Zhou Jingyu didn’t give her a chance to speak.

“Do you want to eat at your place or mine?”

Holding the bag of food, Zhou Jingyu asked.

He was a head taller than Wen Tang, making him appear to tower over her.

Wen Tang: “……”

She had lost.

She had lost in terms of presence!

Seeing that the situation was set, Wen Tang resigned herself.

“Come in,” she said, opening the door wider and stepping aside.

Since she couldn’t avoid the dinner, her own place felt safer than going elsewhere.

She pointed to the shoe rack at the entrance. “There are new slippers inside. Help yourself.”

Zhou Jingyu changed into the slippers and followed Wen Tang inside.

Her apartment was similar to his, but she had remodeled and redecorated it before moving in. The place featured light colors, thick white carpets, and a large wall in the living room adorned with her photographs.

“Feel free to use anything in the kitchen,” Wen Tang said as she walked ahead.

Although she usually didn’t cook, her kitchen was well-stocked with utensils and condiments. She would sometimes cook simple meals for herself when she didn’t want to order takeout.

Wen Tang didn’t know why Zhou Jingyu had suddenly decided to cook for her or what his true intentions were, but seeing him dressed neatly in a white shirt and dress pants, she didn’t linger in the kitchen and headed to her room to change.

By the way, Zhou Jingyu was really good-looking. Wen Tang had never seen anyone look better in a white shirt, he outshone even the celebrities who relied on their looks.

After Wen Tang left, Zhou Jingyu turned and entered the kitchen. After placing the ingredients down, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

The ingredients were already prepped; they just needed a quick wash before going into the pan.

Wen Tang changed into her comfortable home clothes and came out. Although she didn’t cook, she was very interested in watching her neighbor cook. After all, who wouldn’t want to see someone who seemed cold and aloof transform in the bustling atmosphere of a kitchen?

She approached the kitchen but didn’t go in. Instead, she leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

Zhou Jingyu had broad shoulders, long legs, and a slim waist, creating a visually appealing figure. The person who should be sitting in the CEO’s office was now busy in the kitchen.

No one would think to associate Zhou Jingyu with the kitchen, but he handled washing vegetables, lighting the stove, adding ingredients, and even tossing the pan with such skill and calm efficiency that it all seemed perfectly organized.

It must be said that everything looked good when a handsome person did it—even cooking was a pleasure to watch.

Wen Tang couldn’t hide her surprise and asked, “Do you really know how to cook?”

She had thought he might be just showing off, like her, trying not to lose face.

Zhou Jingyu glanced at Wen Tang, noting her new outfit—a light purple home dress that made her look gentle, unlike the stern demeanor she had shown earlier.

But Zhou Jingyu knew it was just a facade.

She was like a kitten hiding its claws, ready to scratch at any moment.

“I used to live alone in France and often cooked for myself,” Zhou Jingyu replied casually.

His time in France, banished as it was, seemed to be just another part of his past to him.

Wen Tang simply responded with an “Oh” and watched silently for a while. “Do you need any help?” she eventually asked.

It was obviously a polite offer.

If she helped, she would only end up being more of a hindrance.

Zhou Jingyu declined. “No need. You can go to rest in the living room. I’ll be done soon.”